The Word of the Year :: Mindfulness
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
I do still have lots to share from our holidays. Snow, snow, and more snow. It was a fun Christmas, but it’s always good to be back at home. We’ve never travelled during the holidays before, and it had its own set of challenges. I’m wishing things had been a bit more relaxed. And while there was some relaxation while we were stuck on a snow-covered mountain, I always manage to get myself all worked up into some sort of frazzle no matter where I am. Why? I have no idea. I feel I simplify our holiday more each year, and yet every year I look back on what I could have not done. There’s always room for improvement.
It seems that no matter how hard I try to keep centered and calm, that I never feel like I have enough time. And now having both children at home with me all day, my mental attitudes have required some shifting. It’s been good for me, and I’m sure my family is reaping the benefits, but sometimes any change can seem daunting.
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. In taking inspiration from The Bird, I choose a simple word to inspire me. I started thinking about this in early December, and there were quite a few on my list. A few I considered were: metta (the buddhist art of lovingkindness), simplicity, and compassionate communication (two words, I know). But the one that it seems I need the most, that I have struggled so greatly with in the past is mindfulness. In this time in my life, with two young children by my side, when it seems that most of the time I am tired, frazzled, worn out or just plain in a hurry, I can reach out for that word and hopefully find some peace.
Looking back on 2010, it was a pretty good year. Full of its own blessings, beauties, joy, and challenges. But what year isn’t? 2008 was a very difficult year for my little family, and it seems that the more distance I have from it, the better I feel. I’m looking forward to what 2011 will bring with a new sense of optimism and mindfulness.
No. 1 — January 5th, 2011 at 10:51 pm
Looks like you enjoyed the perfect white Christmas. And on those few particularly difficult days when mindfulness just isn’t enough….I always fall back on…serenity now:) I do miss Seinfeld. Happy New Year to you guys!
No. 2 — January 6th, 2011 at 8:42 am
Good word choice! Love the idea of choosing a word instead of a whole list of resolutions. naturally, I gave myself a whole list before considering this…
No. 3 — January 6th, 2011 at 10:39 am
Just last night there was a bit on the Jim Lehrer News Hour about teenage brains. But, there was a note from a scientist saying that we really can’t multi-task. Focusing on more than one thing at a time decreases our brain’s ability to do any of the tasks well.
Scientific support for your Mindfulness resolution.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/jan-june11/digitalbrain_01-05.html
No. 4 — January 7th, 2011 at 2:01 am
ahh, good to remember Serenity Now…how often i have used that one myself.
Rose, bless you as you reenter life at home all together. We always travel over the holidays since we live so far from family. With three young boys it has it’s own happiness and frustration, and one thing I have learned is that coming home I give myself at least a week with no expectation of really getting done what I want to. I mean, I don’t expect even to get all the suitcases unpacked before a week is up. I expect to need time just to sit around after having been living in other people’s space for two weeks and driving for days. And I am happy to report that this year, first time, I am much more at ease with that approach and it has made this first week home much easier, especially since we came home sick.
Also wanted to just say it’s a tiny relief to hear your honesty that though you’ve chosen this new path of homeschooling, it’s quite something to be home all the time with the very ones whose brains (and mouths) just never seem to stop! To that end, my word for the year (I have the same tradition since I was in high school actually) is silence. I have found this week that true silence has been the most therapeutic and relieving medicine for me. Silence to help me be kind and mindful! Cheers to an examined life amidst home and hearth in 2011.